


Probation

by ChillyHollow



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: Gen, Office
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27372976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow
Summary: A phone call between friends
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 5
Kudos: 27





	Probation

**Author's Note:**

> Black Irish is what in my neck of the woods we call people with coal-black hair, bright blue eyes, and very pale skin whose ancestors came from Ireland.

[phone rings]

Hey, babe!I got the job!

Yeah, the one I told you about last month, with the detectives, the ones that are in all the papers. 

It’s not a big place, no open plan office full of desks and bitchy women.Hate that!I’m the only woman besides one of the partners.The pay’s ok.It’s a small business and I do the admin work—expenses, answering the phone, doing the billing and time sheets.There’s some filing but the partners do most of that.

Two partners—man and woman.He’s probably 45 and she’s younger.They are an odd pair, he’s a grumpy bastard and she’s a sweetheart.They keep long hours, it’s part of the business, but I work normal office hours.

There are three others, all men, and their record-keeping is something I’m always after them about.One’s not bad at that, and he’s good-looking (black hair and blue eyes, you know the kind) and single.Divorced.The other two are cheeky sods, but they’re ok, or they would be if they’d get their receipts in order.Both married with kids.She’s getting a divorce, and the Black Irish guy flirts with her.So maybe we’ll have an office romance to liven things up.

Yeah, from the little I’ve heard her husband cheated on her.He came by the office last week.Very good-looking and he knows it.Sneered at the offices, which are not much, granted.Building’s an old firetrap and he’s the kind impressed by new and expensive.Too stupid to see the firm is a well run machine and a money-maker.Bet he hated her hours.One of those it’s-all-about-me guys who wants to be catered to because he’s the center of the universe.

The big boss is, well, big.Grumpy bastard most of the time, although His bark is worse than His bite, and He’s fair.Smart, too.The police come by and consult with us.Can’t say on what—I had to sign a confidentiality agreement like it’s a law office or bank—but it is an investigation business and we look into people’s private stuff.

Mostly chasing husbands for wives looking for evidence so they can take hubby to the cleaners in the divorce settlement.The wives all try and flirt with Him but He’s all business.Polite and distant with them.If the client gets too pushy, She takes over and cools them off. 

He looks a bit like Harry, my first.Curly hair, big hands, tall.No, doesn’t look like Rokeby at all.He hasn’t come around but then I’ve not been here long.Met one of the Rokeby kids, though.Al his name is.Late 20s, looks like old Jonny but short.Sweet kid and polite, the opposite of his big brother.You’d never know they were related.They don’t look or act alike at all. 

I’ll stick it out for a while.The work is interesting. I’m learning to use databases to look client stuff up and I do the spreadsheets for accounting and the schedule.The jobs are always changing and I have to keep up with who is doing what.They’re in and out of the office all day long and client appointments have to be slotted in.She’d have made a mint as a PA for some rich guy ‘cause She’s pretty and a good organizer.It’s a bitch getting older.Everyone thinks you’re senile or have no energy.They want to hire some cute kid who’s cheap with no experience and then moan about how you can’t get good help these days.

No, there’s none of that here.She keeps Him up to the mark, but he isn’t that kind.He’s considerate in his way, although he could do with some practice saying Please and Thank You.

Yeah, they are an odd pair, but two peas in a pod—workaholics the pair of them.He lives over the office.He had to go stay with friends of his when the reporters were all over us.One of them tried to pay me for the inside story, the bastard, but you can’t say anything.They’ll twist your words.I just tell them to bugger off.All you can do, but it’s a nuisance getting in and out of the office with them reporters in the way, all shouting questions.Jerry swears he saw me on the news elbowing my way in to work last week when the papers did a story on that serial killer they just caught.

Yeah, Jerry’s good.Same as always.His arthritis is acting up but he keeps busy with his carpentry.He says you’ve got to keep moving to keep the joints from freezing up.I’m going to have him make a collapsable footstool for the boss. He needs to elevate that bad leg of His more than he does.Well, you walk a lot in this job doing surveillance, and that can’t be good for a one-legged man.Doesn’t seem to slow him down, though.He’s not a complainer, I’ll say that for him.Unless we run low on biscuits and that’s not likely with me in charge, is it?

It’s a good job, given the market these days.The pay’s not bad, the people are ok, and the bosses leave me alone to do my job the way I want and they’ll teach me new stuff with those databases.Can’t ask for more, really.I’m on probation for three months, to see if we suit.I think they’ll keep me.Not easy to find someone with my skills andI like the work.

I’ve talked your ear off about me, but how have you been?Babe, we really need to get together for dinner.I’ll bring Jerry and you bring Donnie.

Yeah, I’ll call you in a month or so when the job settles.Take care!


End file.
